Kyle Larson Keeps Finding a Way, and NASCAR’s Championship Is Now Within His Reach

MARTINSVILLE, Va. — Kyle Larson did not need to win Sunday’s Xfinity 500 to make a major statement in the NASCAR Cup Series championship battle. He simply needed to survive. The Hendrick Motorsports driver did exactly that, finishing ninth at Martinsville Speedway after a difficult afternoon for the No. 5 Chevrolet. The result was not particularly glamorous, but the championship implications were enormous. Larson leaves America’s Short Track with a 67-point advantage over Christopher Bell and a 70-point lead over Denny Hamlin.